Notes (Mobile) Backup
WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS AND UNDER-DEVELOPED IDEAS **Strike-through means the note has been properly sorted, or discarded. Bold requests immediate consideration. Historically, the 6th Era is viewed as the Age of Dwarves. How did Dwarves experience a golden age/the zenith of their civilization when so many mortals suffered on the surface? The 'crescendo' of the dwarven empire was abruptly cut short with the call to cloister, and the dissolution of a dwarven central government in favor of a defense posture. Dwarves began to use the Abyss to interconnect the Dwarfgates and form a centralized government because of it, and most of this society exists only underground, with men and elves gaining little to no benefit from them. There are countless legends that tell of kingdoms made of gold beneath the earth, adding to the mysterious, reclusive reputation of Dwarves. The fact that elves, dwarves and Men are so alien to one another is evidence of the success of the Fallengod's plan to break up the alliance that Balkaros made. In the real world, pagan gods are falsely named as the cause of various natural phenomena.In Westgard, Divinity is falsely given credit for similar natural phenomena that are controlled by the great Pantheonic souls. Rosewood elves' reputation as an elusive, secretive race originates from devotion to their sacred duty of keeping Solas-like hidden. The more outsiders learn about the Rosewood, the more likely that Solas-like's discovery becomes. Khalengate -> Khalendur Khalendür, Khalendûr, Khalendūr The dwarven relationship with the Abyss did not take on its 'dark' connotations until long after the Rebellion ended. Originally, they were tasked by keeping vigil over the Dwarfgates and ensuring the Abyss will never escape. Over centuries, dwarves become accustomed to the Abyss and begin to traverse it (ostensibly for the purposes of ensuring the Abyss was secured), which began their empire. Only after dwarves began to traverse the Abyss did their cities become interconnected, creating a central polity connected by networks of Abyssmal roads (Dwarven empire). Without the Abyss, there can be no empire. The Age of the Dwarven Empire is one of unrestricted access to the Abyss. Without the Abyss, there can be no dwarven empire. What Fallengod causes the Frostmarches? If the Frostmarches are so inhospitable, how does Hal cross it from Izramark enroute to Isharea? (He is forced to traverse the Abyss) If the Frostmarches become habitable again, then it would prove to be a rich, unclaimed and uncontested land that would make an interesting conflict between Isharea, the Dwarven diaspora, and the recently rediscovered Ara'halo elves. * -What Fallengod causes the Frostmarch? * -Is Ara'Halo the source of Frostmarches' inhabitability Dwarves living underground is a pennance. They would prefer to live on the surface. It is in the living with this pennance that dwarves become the most devout to Balkaros (because it was he that punished them? For being the only race not to join the rebellion?) Izramark is directly above Khazm. When Calayne went to Izramark for clairvoyance, he witnessed the gaping maw of the Abyss. Whereas the others of the Endasir cycle saw visions when they looked into the Greywell, Calayne saw only black. Foreshadowing his finding the Abyss. 'Mason,' as in stone mason, is an honorific/title for Dwarves along the same lines as the 'Magnate' (Thematic/imagery relationship between Magnate and Magralir? That every race has their own name for this person (Balkaros?) only lends credence to the fact that they owe their existence to this Fallengod, for they are all who survived the Age of Crusade. Darker Timeline: the factions aligned with Balkaros had been in the vast minority during the Age of Crusade, and would never have been able to defeat the larger Pantheon forces...but something happened at the end of the 5th era that caused:-The mortal races (Menastrians, Thorzolban Dwarves, Isethail Elves) to be the only survivors of a holocaust that claimed the lives of all other races (the loss of so many contributes to the Dark age). This holocaust caused the start of the 6th Whereas Menastirians had joined the Covenant with Balkaros (and Isharea hadnt; think of Ramarath's new geographic proximity to Isharea), their eastern brethren had not. Having assumed that any non-aligned faction was wiped out during the 6th, Menastir was surprised to find that Isharea hadn't ceased to exist, and they were surprisingly monotheists, which they hadn't been before (but this is further evidence of Lios' corruption) Two Rebelling Fallengods * Conflict that plays out between two rebelling Fallengods: one who advocates for the death of their peers, and the other whom advocates for their incarceration. Solas-like, whom appeared to work in concert with the rebellious Fallengod, ensures that Eldäne (love interest) will be sealed in the Dream and kept safe from harm, although it costs her everything: her freedom, her will, and later her sanity. Dwarves are religiously/philosophically dualistic. * -Effect of them living underground in close proximity to the shadow there. Dwarves create great things, and the shadow unmakes them * -Imagery of polarity, symmetry, equality, balance The Pantheon was forced to make its land stand in Gazula because: * -Mithalduan had been captured by Lios * -The Godswastes were uninhabitable * -The first Frostmarch had begun and Thorzolban was uninhabitable Messiah engineered the actions of morals that would lead to the destruction of all the known Fallengods, both as a fulfilment of his covenant with Balkaros, and in his desire to ascend to godhood unopposed by the defeated Pantheon. Although he was successful in having Reshain and Eldäne killed, Lios did not anticipate Solas-like. Lios was leading the rebellion in the east when Balkaros' sacrifice occured. Because of this, he has no idea that Solas-like (essentially an avatar of Balkaros) survived. And because he remained hidden on the Rosewood, Solas-like was able to identify Lios as the source of the emerging Messiah War, and prepared to counter him. The wars between Leyhanos and Solas-like are the quintessential religious conflicts of Westgard: * -Lios demands faith in Divinity * -Solas-like vehemently denies the existence of Divinity For Balkaros to have lived undisturbed amongst mortals, he likely would have needed to change his outward appearance. Balkaros is a shape shifter? Newborns/children are believed to be closer to Divinity than the rest to the population because metaphysically they had only just 'arrived' in Westgard and was untouched by the sin that stained the world. The antagonism of the First Souls toward mortals is simply their natural state. Lios' antagonism is on a whole other level, viewed more negatively than the Pantheon Phonetic relationship between 'Thor-' as in Thorzolban and 'Tor-' as in Tor'an (Torund-Yvan, Thorund-Yvan) Late series scene: After many difficult campaigns and conquests to unite the north, Theseus is finally crowned King of Gazula. But there is no celebration, because Messiah will soon bring the war to a swift end, filling all of Westgard with dread. Theseus' coronation was sort of a 'dying wish' thing for the people of Menastir, knowing full well that Theseus and the entire kingdom will perish in just a few short weeks at the climactic battle. Hal's uniqueness as a baptized person extends beyond Legacy. When Harbinger was destroyed, the Greywell did not flow again as Rowan had anticipated. And so throughout the rest of the series, Hal is special and very important to all the mortal races because he is the 'Last Baptist' This allows the 'restore the Greywell' mission to take center stage in another book, or perhaps the rest of the series, but not in Legacy. Why wasn't the Greywell restored? The Greysight. When Endasir and Rowan looked into the Greywell and saw the future on its surface, they both were shown very different things. Endasir saw that Rowan would use Hal as a sacrifice, but was unable to stop him while sealed in the Wellfount. Instead, Endasir sabotaged Rowan's plan, and somehow made Harbinger die, the Greywell destroyed, and Hal alive all at the same time. Was Endasir a replacement sacrifice? Endasir is either: -Magnanimous, when seeing that the Kingdom will be reborn thanks to Hal, decides that he will work towards the greater good of all mankind, and let Rowan's plan proceed (albeit without Hal dying) OR -Petty, when seeing that Rowan had lied and betrayed him, and planned to use Hal as a sacrifice, sought only revenge on Rowan, and decided to deny Rowan the only thing that he ever wanted in retribution: the Greywell. Why was Rowan only able to retrieve such a limited amount of altyr? Baptist Attributes The Music: -Hal alone can hear the music -Hal can clearly discern the song even when outside of the Dream. -Hal cannot hear the music, and is immune to any potential demons that would ensnare him. IF Reshain is sealed away by a similar mechanism as Eldäne (the Dream), then shouldn't Endasir be able to communicate with Hal? Background atmospheric idea: throughout Legacy, Menastir is only referred to as the Old Kingdom. Superstition holds that the name Menastir itself is cursed. Eventually, either the name is used in the Crownmeet or is revealed only in the epilogue Calayne is a well regarded person in the Northern Kingdoms (by means of him being a priest) before the civil war. When rumors begin to spread that this honorable man was eading an army south, many came to the conclusion that Calayne had lost his sanity as another victim of the Northbane. Rowan was the one who started this rumor, seeking to discredit Calayne. When Hal is captured by Calayne, he is revealed to be anything but insane, leading Hal and others to suspect Rowan's motives for insisting on the rumor. On a more personal note, Rowan is very jealous that Calayne achieved magic. The Northern Kingdoms were once a unified polity (a single province during the Old Kingdom?). They later separated into the three distinct nations that they are at the end of the 6th Era. Explains why they each have a different style of government (king, prince, thane). Were they forcibly united in the past? Did the separation happen during the 6th Era, when there was no Menastir to intervene there? (Think the Free Marches separating from Tevinter Imperium) Ethoras saw/projected itself as the successor/continuation of the Menastirian kings, and therefore laid claim to all of its former lands. Desoral/Halindor did not agree with that assessment, and broke away from Ethoras. Previously, Ethoras was an honorable, compassionate, enlightened, and very boring kingdom. Now, Ethoras carries itself as if they still rightfully ruled all of Menastir, even though they don't, nor could they ever with their meager military might. But despite the bluster, Ethoras maintains a concrete and realistic goal of reconquering Desoral/Halindor as soon as possible. It becomes their life's mission to retake Desoral/Halindor When did Halindor break away? A long time ago (no king in Menastir), very recently (related to the Failure of the Second Reclamation)? Because Theseus didn't naturally inherit the throne of Menastir, his political situation is exceptionally untenable throughout the series (similar to Roberts Rebellion in Game of Thrones). And while Reya and Hal spend their time combating the Fallengods, Theseus' focus is trapped in Menastir... which isn't necessarily a bad thing for the reader. It allows for an increased complexity of the human North as Theseus proceeds on his quest to conquer and unify the southern provinces into one kingdom. Menastir isn't one kingdom, from which the Northern Kingdoms are separate... Menastir is the union of the north with the provinces of Gazula into one centralized state. The union of the Northern Kingdoms with the provinces surrounding Gazula is the polity called Menastir. The North had never been politically connected to a centralized government based in Gazula, but by merit of Theseus being the Prince of Ethoras, the Victor in the Halindor civil war, and with Buranas abandoned at the end of the 6th Era, there was no opposition to his annexation of the two regions into a new polity that expanded as he continued to conquer the outlying provinces. Despite all the comity that is anticipated during the restoration of contact between Menastir, the Kingdom of Leor, and Isharea, the realm of Lios, there is an eventual (and inevitable) border friction when Menastir annexes Andelas to its territory, a region that Isharea had long been developing into a vanguard in the North. While this friction isn't enough to sever the relationship on its own, it is indeed a factor. The last king of Halindor was killed/defeated during their late 6th civil war. It had always previously been a kingdom, rivals but amicable with neighboring Ethoras. The Crownmeet was the gathering of allies of the two extant crowns in the Northern Kingdoms: Ethoras and Halindor (Buranas had already fallen?). During the course of the Crownmeet, Halindor was defeated and it's king deposed. However, because Halindor invested his authority and will into that meeting before its defeat, Theseus was able to derive his legal right to claim/annex Halindor as part of his new kingdom of Menastir from the Crownmeet itself. By the dawn of the 7th Era, Buranas and it's environs (Skyhelm) were completely abandoned. The mission that Hal participated in that led him to Snow Weir (and then on to Izramark) had the primary/additional objective of assessing Skyhelm for annexation into Menastir. Part of the alliance between Theseus and Calayne (after Rowan's impartiality/insanity revealed itself) was based on the agreement that should the north survive this existential crisis of Harbinger's release, then Calaynes forces will support Theseus. And although Calaynes forces (Buranas and Thanesfolk) kept to their promise, they held onto/developed a deep sense of faith in monotheism. And in order to keep this new army in the fold, Theseus was forced to dedicate the kingdom resulting from the conquest of this army from the North to his soldiers' faith... namely monotheism. Ironically, when Rowan had converted the king of Ethoras to monotheism, Theseus disagreed with and agitated against the decision. He was later forced into accepting that same faith as the plinth of his new kingdom, despite his reservations about its theology. Interestingly enough, it is because of Theseus' agnosticism/antagonism to monotheistic faith that he sends Hal out to pursue the truth Calayne discovered, which eventually leads to Menastir's salvation (and allows it to continue developing monotheism, despite the facts and Theseus' wishes). Does Solas-like retain the physical appearance of Balkaros, or does he resume a previous face (as a First Soul or, if they are mortal, his original face)? Solas-like is a First Soul whom mortals can freely communicate with, and he vehemently denies his nature is at all related to some being named 'Divinity'. He knows of no such creature with that name. Some irony in that Balkaros' actions resulted in the Fallengods being hidden away from the world; and after the Sacrifice, when Solas-like remained in Westgard, he too had to be hidden by the Rosewood elves. Rumors of the Rosewood elves hiding/protecting a Fallengod is what lures Hal there in the first place, resulting in him finding Solas-like. -Hal (and others) are never sure whether he is a Fallengod or not, but he does share notable characteristics with the other Fallengods (ie the First Soul) which causes the initial uncertainty about Solas-like's true nature. How much power does Solas-like wield? Is Solas-like guarding Eldäne so that she will never awaken, or is he guarding the dreaming elves? Solas-like has no memory of his existence before merging with Balkaros. However he does remember Balkaros' life before they merged. It is through the viewpoint of Balkaros hunting the First Soul that Solas-like is able to infer on the nature of his life before Balkaros, but it is an imperfect method of understanding. Abysmals are originally viewed as the series' antagonists, but they are simply a force of nature. It is the mortals/immortals who utilize them that are the true antagonists Part of Fallengod plan to forget they exist Westgard in the 6th era generally doesn't know that Fallengods can be killed, because they don't remember that mortals had already done it before. The fact that Fallengods had been killed in the past is evidence that they can be killed in the present. With Balkaros' sacrifice, Solas-like is stripped of his power. Does he seek to regain it? Solas-like is the only being in the world who knows what Balkaros meant by 'LET IT END'. Ironic that Balkaros commanded mortals to Let it End, and yet Solas-like is still alive. Doesn't this suggest that Balkaros' sacrifice was flawed, because the First Soul he harbored survived? Does the First Soul of Balkaros (Solas-like) seek to free his brethren contained within the rest of the Pantheon? Thematic/imagery parallel between FALLengod and the FALLwood Spirits are to demons exactly what the First Souls are to the Demonhearts (the same thing, but corrupted) Just as in real world theology, where Christ bridged the gap between men and God, so too does Balkaros serve as a bridge between mortals and Divinity. Abysmal resurgence is a cyclical issue. Those who first tamed the primary resurgence were gradually and eventually elevated to the level of godhood, ie, the Pantheon. In the Age of Divinity, a collaborative group of powerful mortals held the resurgent Abyss at bay, and for that, they were awarded godhood. Just as a modern human predicting the weather or doing a magic trick would cause them to appear divine in the viewpoint of a primitive human, godhood was conferred on exceptional mortal individuals who breached this barrier of 'perceived Divinity'. By the start of Covenant, Theseus has begun the process of unifying the North. Andelas, which lost almost all of it's strength at the end of the 6th, entreats with Isharea for protection. Isharea's imperial ambitions makes them amenable to this possibility, but walks slowly as they must first learn more about the new political situation developing in the North. By the time Hal steals the Godsfire, Isharea uses the request for protection as causus beli to invade Menastir in retaliation. Andelas becomes the first battlefield of the war between the human kingdoms, and by its end, the former heartland of human strength, its imperial home, is reduced to ashes. How evil was the Empire? Does modern english vernacular suggest that any empire is an evil thing (Thanks to Star Wars)? Rowan is from Andelas. Reasons why: -Rowan's gaze is fixed on control of Gazula, and so is Andelas' -Andelas proper trusts him enough to follow his suggestion and preemptively invade Ivanaar -Tor'an, having seceded from but originally part of Andelas, was permitted to enter because they believed Rowan was their ally in their secession from Andelas (when he simply wanted a pretext to assure Hal remained hidden in a xenophobic city-state) -Explains why he was a participant in the Second Reclamation (Andelas occupies Gazula) -He cared greatly about the geopolitical status of Gazula, and who controlled it -He successfully convinces the leaders of Andelas to invade Ivanaar in anticipation of the dwarven egress (even though he knows they will not win) -Andelas, by merit of its proximity to Isharea, was uniquely monotheist; Rowan himself was a monotheist. -Helps to establish the idea that Calayne is a well-regarded spiritual leader in the Northern Kingdoms, and that Rowan is the agitator. -Also is why the Northern Kingdoms stubbornly cling to polytheism Is Calayne from Corlán? If so, it adds a new layer to the conflict between Rowan and Calayne, and better informs the reader of the ongoing political struggle between the two city states over the central provinces surrounding Gazula. -Also helps to inform why Corlán aligned with Calayne. Halindor and/or Buranas left the Crownmeet as it began to take on a new monotheistic tone, because of Rowan and the conversion of the Ethoran king. Halestir -> Halestur, Halastur, Halaster, Halester Some property of Hals baptism prevents Endasir from being able to communicate with him from within the Dream. Indeed, it likewise prevents Reshain from speaking to Hal. With Rowan now a morally dubious monotheistic character, and Calayne a steadfast polytheist, I am afraid that monotheism could be painted in too negatively of a light. By Legacy's climax, Calayne, Eidan and Reya all have turned against Rowan. Unbeknownst to anyone, Theseus has abandoned Rowan too, but the future-king keeps his political motivations hidden. Possible change: Endasir cannot actually directly communicate with Calayne. But because Calayne is an adherent of Reshain, and because Endasir is trapped alongside Reshain, then Calayne can hear that Reshain's voice has changed. As he continues to investigate why the change happened, Calayne can increasingly recognize Endasir in the whispers from Reshain (he can 'hear' Endasir's dreams just like Reshain), leading him to conclude Endasir is still alive, that Rowan knows this, and that Rowan is planning something potentially sinister. ' As Reshain's voice calling out to Caláyne grows ever louder, so too does Endasir's voice, to the point that Calayne can fully understand the situation (two birds, one stone)' ' Does Calayne communicate directly with Reshain/Endasir, or is he only able to sense their dreams and not their actual words?' After arriving safely in Ethoras, Rowan orders a highly restricted protective detail to surround Hal, although it isn't readily apparent that Hal has suddenly become a prisoner. Rowan claims the guards are necessary to keep Hal safe (by now, Hal is aware that Calayne is pursuing him, but he doesn't know why), but they are actually there to ensure that Hal doesn't escape Rowan's custody, and can be forcibly taken to Gazula and killed. 'False' Empire: The belief that the Pantheon was divine and benevolent is an idea that didn't fully take root until much later after the Rebellion. The Pantheon was already 'gone', but that institution became the heart of a religiously revisionist polytheistic empire. It was during the Age of this imperial polity that historically false narratives of the Pantheon began: * -They they were a single, contemporaneous institution * -They were divine * -They were benevolent * -They were killed by mortals/they were killed by an evil god/they left Westgard. Previous to this theology, the Fallengods were seen as exceptional, non-divine individuals, who never existed as a cohesive body. They were the legendary paragons of an era of Westgard that were later artificially stitched together into a united religious body by mortals themselves. * I have some concern about this seeming too similar to Tevinter and the Old Gods. After the Fallengods were killed/hidden, there was no longer any incontrovertible proof that the Pantheon did exist, causing religious skepticism to rise in much the same way as it does for Divinity and monotheism. 2 thematically different campaigns of the Age of Curusade -Before and after Balkaros -Before and after Oumarog -Fallengods are cowards -Some polytheists felt abandoned -Mortals hunt the Pantheon until Oumarog is killed, at which point the Pantheon goes into hiding. The remainder of the Age is expended on Balkaros' army waging war against the mortals that harbored the Fallengods. At the heart of polytheism is a moral cautionary tale of deicide (either because the Pantheon left Westgard which was avoidable, or the dangers of killing a god). Why Solas-like doesn't tell everyone about the truth -(Simply) He doesn't want to be killed. Mortals had already proven themselves capable of killing a Fallengod (Oumarog... Balkaros?), and so if he spoke up, he would become a target. -Although he knew that Eldäne must be removed from power, he did not want her to be killed. Solas-like's love for Eldäne is carried over from his life merged with Balkaros. But Balkaros was gone, and when the recently free Solas-like approached her to say he survived the Sacrifice, she did not recognize him, and rebuffed his affection. This broke Solas-like's heart, but because his affection for her was so profound, he was fully willing to love her from afar. When mortals closed in on Eldäne, Solas-like approached her once again, and begged her to come with him to safety. Once again, she cast him aside and prepared to fight and likely die. Unwilling to take no for an answer, he forced Eldäne into the Dream for her own protection. That act however led her to be consumed by hatred and malice for the prison Solas-like had locked her in, which corrupted the Dream and the elves that were there with her, turning them into the first demons. Solas-like was so blinded by love, he vigorously believed that one day Eldäne will come to love him. Rosewood elves learned their devotion to the forest from watching Solas-like, whom led them and they protected, who was still deeply infatuated with Eldäne. Solas-like fails to appraise his supplicants of the more sinister true nature of Eldäne. Calayne was so well respected in the North, that when he withdrew from the Crownmeet, many took the move very seriously. 'Inylaïa' phonetically evolved into Alys (Inalys) The term Fallengod has two meanings: 1) A corrupted god, and 2) Quite literally a god who fell from the sky: the 'First Souls' are actually celestials, which fell from their home in the heavens Gazula is an unusual name because Gazula was an unusual city, unlike any other in the world. Stressed syllable: GAH-zu-lah, not Gah-ZOO-lah Elven name: Quelshir Dwarven name: Khalzar While the Fallengods were laying dormant (patiently awaiting the proper time to resurface and continue their war against mortals), they began to weave the tale of a benevolent Pantheon, seeking future combatants that would rally to their side at their eventual return to Westgard. Whenever a Fallengod was killed, a major cataclysmic event occured: -Oumarog and the Godswastes -Eternal Winter of Thorzolban The severity of these crises is so devastating to mortality that a new faction came into existence: one where the purpose of the Rebellion was noble and appropriate, but the goals it had sought to achieve would exact too high a price on Westgard, and so must be avoided (pragmatists) But when Hal kills Reshain and no cataclysm occurs, suddenly everyone, especially the pragmatists, become intensely interested in Hal. If there is a way to truly defeat the Fallengods without so heavy a price, then all the mortal races wouldn't hesitate to reaffirm their covenant with Balkaros in light of this new evidence. Why didnt Reshain cause a cataclysm? What qualities did Hal posses to prevent this? Was it Endasir? Calayne? Ishareans relentlessly hunt orcs, because they are the symbols/creation/protectors of the existence of Thoum, a still living Fallengod (believed to slumber somewhere in the east) that stands in the way of Lios' resurrection. As long as Thoum still lives, there is a chance the resurrection will fail. Hunting orcs is their method of getting closer to finding Thoum's resting place. Is the word 'coven' etymologically related to the wore 'covenant'? Reya returned to Westgard to tell Endasir that they had caused the various crises that had recently began. This is not information that she would ever share with an outsider, for fear of punishment by those who would judge her harshly. She even keeps this fact hidden from Eidan for a time. When Reya tells Rowan that they caused the crisis, and she sees his facial expression upon hearing this startling news, Reya realizes that Rowan had known all along. Keep in mind that the events of the Endasir cycle must slowly begin to be haphazardly pieced together during the narrative of Legacy, for the benefit of the reader. Reya has no desire to tell Hal (a seeming stranger) that she was involved with Endasir (not realizing that Hal is his son). The climax of Legacy Book 2 is the moment when Endasir's involvement with Reya, Eidan, Rowan and Calayne is revealed to Hal (with there having been previous hints that would later support this revelation). Hal becoming aware of the Endasir cycle happens at the same time as Reya finally reveals to Eidan that they are responsible, having just told Rowan the same. Hal doesn't know if his father is alive or dead... but how much does he care about that? Legacy Book 2 Climax: -Rowan tells Reya that Endasir is dead -Reya tells Rowan that they are the cause of the crisis -When Rowan barely reacts to this otherwise stunning move, she realizes that Rowan had already known this fact -Reya confronts Eidan, who failed to tell her that Endasir had died (Rowan demanded he not tell) -But when she tells Eidan that they had caused the crises, he is legitimately stunned by this news, and realizes that Rowan had kept this fact secret from Eidan, just as Eidan had kept Endasir's death a secret on Rowan's order... two strikes against Rowan. Later on in Book 3, Calayne tells Reya that Endasir is not dead. Third strike against Rowan, and she makes him her enemy. Who abducts Hal? Eidan or Reya? Like all Dwarfgates, they are heavily defended from the inside, so it would require a massive force in order to retake it (Dwarven-Calayne-Theseus alliance). Because the Wellfount is sealed within the Dwarfgate, the climactic battle at the end of Legacy begins by retaking the surface of Gazula, and then proceeding underneath to the entrenched shadow within. ???If the road from Baruin to Gazula has already fallen to shadow, shouldn't it be obvious to dwarves that the shadow originated from Gazula? And their empire began to collapse from the West? Having a calendar based on astronomy/celestial cartography is impossible in Westgard because the stars do not behave like they do in real life. They move freely about, because they are truly the original Celestial that the ancient Layir worshipped. Stars move erratically and cannot be tracked by stellar cartography However once they do stop moving, it is an omen of peace/change. Stars begin to move randomly for a time, before re-settling into a new pattern/celestial configuration. New constellations for each age. Charting the new stellar configuration usually results in an increase period of academic learning. Without the ability to accurately study time over long periods, the Dwarven skill of recording history in the stone becomes vital for the intellectual, historical, and cultural continuance of the various Westgard civilizations. Men view the Song as maddening. Elves see it as enlightening. Isharea was named for Ishar because he was aware that the Godsfire stolen from Mithalduan resided there, protected from harm by the Slayer factions. This leniency towards the Fallengods and the Godsfire comes back to haunt Solas-like, when Lios prepares to utilize the Godsfire to proclaim himself divine. If Solas-like could give up his power/divinity/Immortality, why couldn't he take the Godsfire for himself and reclaim these things? When Endasir and company open the Wellfount, they awaken Harbinger. Realizing their mistake, Endasir seals himself within to buy time for his companions to figure out a way to stop this evil. Rowan undertakes the primary onus of this mission. He baptizes Hal and begins to gather a coalition that can reach the Wellfount again. Calayne uses his time to learn more about the truth of what it is they face. When Calayne discovers the truth of the Fallengod, he is resolved to stop Rowan from carrying out Endasir's final wishes. This makes it appear from outside that Calayne has betrayed Endasir. The shadow afflicting Thorzolban at the end of the 6th didn't come from Izramark or the Khazm, it came from the Dwarfgate under Gazula when the Wellfount was opened by Endasir. Because the deep road between Gazula and Baruin was the conduit that the shadow invaded Thorzolban, the dwarves could not take it in order to reach the source of the shadow and end it. So they had to reach the source over land. Conspiracy that insists Endasir is dead. Reya's mission begins with her returning to Menastir in order to find Endasir and tell him that they are responsible for the crises of the Late 6th. Once she learns that Endasir is alive in the Wellfount, her mission changes from search to rescue. She has no idea that trying to rescue him, by reopening the Wellfount, will actually kill him. -Character arc: at some point she is told that Endasir is dead, and she weeps. She later learns that he actually isn't dead, and so Reya leads the effort to rescue Endasir. Why does Endasir die instantly when the Wellfount is reopened? Rowan's prestige is earned from him having been present in Gazula during the collapse of the 2nd Reclamation, and having stared the evil beneath the city in its face. Elves are unseen in Legacy because: -Having a world (seemingly) inhabited/controlled by Men and Dwarves is a departure from fantasy cliché -The longer that elves are alien to the reader, the more they buy into the idea that elves ruled an evil empire in the past Because a spark of Reshain endured within Hal, he became the means for elves to approach one of their gods.